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State Retirement Pensions: Terminal Illnesses

Asked by Victoria CollinsLiberal DemocratDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled Answered 20 October 2025UIN 80309

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he will ask the Pensions Commission to consider the potential merits of allowing people of working age living with a terminal illness to claim state pension.

Answered by Torsten Bell

The government recognises the importance of ensuring that individuals who are terminally ill are treated with compassion and dignity. The Terms of Reference for the Pensions Commission, which set out the scope for the Commission, were published on the 21st July. The Commissioners will consider what is required in the long term to deliver financial security in retirement through a pensions framework that is stronger, fairer and more sustainable. The Commissioners will engage with a wide range of issues relevant to their terms of reference and will publish their findings in due course.

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